Can Maths and Ethics be Related?

(Time saving Truth from Falsehood)

What are the implications for humankind if mathematics is involved in ethics? Is our knowledge of right or wrong subjective or objective? Is ethical knowledge possible? Price’s mathematical expression of the evolutionary purpose of altruism poses many questions.

Following the work of Darwin, Hamilton, a biologist, began to explore why animals are genetically programmed to take care of one another if they aren’t directly related. He was trying to prove that such a sense of kindness had as much to do with natural selection and genetics as colour of eyes and length of legs.

Price then took this research further used to in his investigation of the genetic basis for good and evil. He was interested in the evolution of human morality and embarked upon a quest for the evolutionary purpose for kindness.

Using a mathematical equation he came up with a way of explaining the evolutionary logic of altrism.

(For more information on the exact equation click here )

It shows that acts of kindness are not driven by nobleness, or religion, but are really just our selfish genes pursuing their own interests.

This equation also suggests that as well as acts of kindness, harming unrelated outsiders can also make evolutionary sense. Price came to the conclusion that violence was rooted in our genes as much as curly hair or long legs. It is an inevitable, unstoppable fact of human evolution. Evil is in fact “bred in the bone”.

So how does all this relate to TOK?
Connections questions.

Mathematics and Science are considered to be logical and empirical things. They are not usually connected to emotion. So where does a mathematical statement, based upon a scientific theory, expressing an emotional phenomenon leave us?

Does it suggest that we can achieve an objective understanding of morality or not?
Is our sensation of altruism objective or subjective?
Is violence beyond our control?
Ought we redefine what is ‘right’ and ‘good’ using a mathematical formula?
Is ‘just’ behavior more than that?
Is ethical knowledge of right and wrong now objective?
Is there such a thing as a subjective ethical approach?
Can we be held responsible for our actions if they really are ‘all in the genes’?